Crazy little thing called love
by The GryffinSlytherRavenPuff
Summary: Emma Dunbar is James Potter  II 's best friend. Their friendship is perfect. Until little trivial things such as love get involved. James II/OC
1. Prologue

**A/N : If I said I owned Harry Potter, would anyone believe me? No? Oh well then... I only own my OC, Emma. **

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_Flashback:_

_My first memory of James Potter was him pulling my hair. I was five at the time and my mum and his mum had decided to go shopping and in some random bout of insanity they decided to take both James and I with them. I have absolutely no idea why, but for some reason they believed that if we both had each other to keep us company, we wouldn't act like normal five year olds and spend the whole time complaining that we were bored and how much we wanted to go home unless we were given a new toy, in which case we became perfect little angels. It was pure insanity of course seeing as this was me and James they were talking about. We were even worse than normal five year olds. We knew magic. Sadly for our parents we had the unfortunate lack of control to not cause the cash register in the boring cloth shops and the word 'angel' was not in our vocabulary. No literally. I was five. I had no idea what the word meant._

_Anyway we created hell. I don't think spending three hours running around a huge shopping centre attempting to stop us from doing magic and essentially exposing the wizarding world. Looking back on it I feel sorry for the adults, but do I feel guilty about the event and my behaviour? Heck no. It was fun._

_Anyway after our mothers had calmed us down. And by calmed us down I mean that they stopped us from playing our new favourite game 'hit the shoppers with items from our mothers handbag'. Once we'd been stopped from annoying our mums we decided to do the next best thing... Annoy each other. So here we are my favourite memory. The beginning of mine and James friendship. You see once we started playing, it got rough quickly which caused my hair to get pulled and as a result I started crying. Now don't get me wrong, I mean I'm not a sulk or anything, but I was five, I was sleep-deprived last night and I had sensitive hair roots. _

_Anyway when I started crying I guess what little conscience James had acted up, either that or his mum got angry at him for making me upset, he gave me his lolly, the first one he'd ever bought with his own money (and by that I mean money that he'd earned with chores, not by begging his parents for it). And then we were best friends, inseparable._

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If only things were as simple as back then. Before silly little things like love got in the way of a perfect friendship.

My name is Emma Dunbar and this is the tale of James Sirius Potter and his far more awesome best friend... Me.

**Review. I command you. **


	2. Chapter 1  The list

**A/N : This is set when James, Emma and Roxanne (George Weasley and Angelina Johnson's daughter) are in their 5****th**** year at Hogwarts, Fred (Brother of Roxanne) is in 6****th**** year, Albus is in his 4****th**** year and Lily is in her 2****nd**** year.**

"James, hey James," I called out. Man, I swear that kid must be deaf, I'm known for having a really loud voice, and that damn idiot still can't hear me. I drew in a big breath and screamed "JAMES SIRIUS POTTER GET YOUR LAZY BUTT OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!" at the top of my lungs. That got his attention, and a few curious looks from other passengers but I ignored them.

"WHAT?" James yelled back at me equally as loud.

I didn't respond via screaming match, everyone else at Platform 9 ¾ were starting to give us odd looks, and my poor mother was looking very embarrassed, had she been in a manga of some sort I swear she would've sweat dropped. I decided to save both our parents dignity and leant further out the window of my compartment, moving at a slightly awkward angle so that my head was facing towards where the Potters were standing.

"If you don't get on the train then you won't be going to Hogwarts, and then I'll become the best pranker ever to walk the halls of the school, and you shall never have camp fire songs written in your name, nor shall your life story be told with vivid interest by gossiping first years or-"

"Alright Emma I get it, I'll get on the bloody train" He shouted before beginning to bid his parents goodbye, both of them laughing slightly knowing that I made half of my little speech up.

"Well than you better hurry up 'Cause the trains about to move" I called back out, that got him moving faster. Idiot, the train didn't leave until 11 o'clock, it was only 10:59... CRAP! "JAMES RUN!"

His parents must've noticed the time also as they practically ripped him away from them and pushed him onto the train. It was just in time too because the moment he entered my compartment too look out the window and wave goodbye to his family from there, the train gave a sudden lurch forward causing him to fall over on his back, and me along with his younger brother Albus, who'd been walking past our compartment, burst out laughing.

"BYE EVERYONE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"BYE EMMA!" Maisie, my little sister screamed back at me before I was pushed aside by James who'd managed to pick himself up off the floor, so he could wave goodbye to his family.

Hey, that wasn't fair, he was hogging the window. And so the fight for the window began.

And that was how we spent the first 20 minutes of our first train ride to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Fighting over a window, so we could say goodbye to people who could no longer see nor hear us and had most likely left the train station. Well, could no longer hear James, I should say. I'm sure if I screamed loud enough they could hear me. 'I'll have to test it out' I thought whilst mentally putting it in my 100 page long to-do list. Not top priority of course. Top priority I actually took the time to write down. Last year's New Year resolution was to finish off writing a list of things that absolutely had to be done the next year, and this year's was to do every single thing written down on the piece of paper. I don't know why I called it my list, really it was just a piece of paper which my best (girl) friend, Roxanne Weasley, wanted me to do. I sighed when I thought about the list, Roxy had asked for it the last time I'd seen her so she could make some last minute changes to it. Then I grinned, she never gave it back.

BANG

I spoke/thought too soon.

The compartment door slid open with a large bang. Or should I say fell over, I think it almost came off its hinges with the force that Roxanne Weasley accompanied by her brother Fred, used to open the door, the sound causing a sleeping James to fall off the chair and onto the floor for the second time that day.

"Jeesh Roxy, you don't need to rip it away from the wall you only need to slide it" James told his female cousin, very much annoyed at how he'd been rudely awoken.

"Whatever Potter, we come with distressing news my friends... and James" Roxy called out in a voice that could give Professor Trelawny (who'd still refused to retire, I think it had something to do with the centaur that'd most likely replace her) a run for her money.

"HEY!" James called out in indignation before resuming his grumpiness over the lack of sleep, "and what might that oh-so important news that gives you permission to wake me up be?"

"The candy lady is in fact... missing. Yes I know it's heartbreaking really-" she was cut off by mine, James and Fred's instant horrified scream of

"WHAT?"

To which she cracked up laughing.

In response to that we each threw many things at her, all things that would most likely hurt her very much whilst screaming at her something along the lines of "DON'T DO THAT ROXY! IT'S NOT FUNNY! YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE DEPEND ON HER TO STOP US FROM FALLING INTO A TIRED HAZE! THE CANDY LADY IS ALL THAT KEEPS US GOING ON THIS TRAIN RIDE! I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK WHEN YOU SAID THAT MY LIFE WAS AT RISK!" and ranting on like that. It was pretty much what we spent the rest of the train ride doing. When the Candy Lady did come over, we locked her inside the compartment, so she couldn't buy anything and refused blatantly to give her anything of ours.

It was only when we were almost at Hogwarts did we finally stop screaming at Roxy. Her and I departing to another compartment so we could change into our school robes. That was when she slipped something to me.

"Couldn't give it to you in front of the boys, they'd tease you mercilessly for it" Roxy explained to me when I gave her a questioning look.

Roxy was right. Later in the girl's dormitory that night, I opened up the piece of paper. Roxy certainly had made some changes to the list. It now read:

Emma Lauren Dunbar's 5th year bucket list:

Get an 'O' in at least 6 of my owl subjects (that's easy for Roxy to write, she'd a bloody Ravenclaw)

4. Beat Slytherin for the house cup (specifically Damian Flint)

3. Beat Slytherin for the Quidditch Cup (specifically Damian Flint)

Those things were already on the list when I made it, it was the last two things that worried.

2. Get a boyfriend

1. Kiss James Potter

"ROXANNE MOLLY WEASLEY!" I screamed out at the top of my lungs.

**Review. Now. *gives puppy dog eyes* please.**


	3. Chapter 2  Class with the Crazy Lady

**Disclaimer: You should be able to tell the difference with what I came up with and what belongs to J. K Rowling, who still adamantly refuses to give me Harry Potter, much to my annoyance.**

Is it just me, or does breakfast taste especially nice when you're planning revenge on one of your best friends for ultimately putting you through great mental strain. If Roxy couldn't make sure that I did everything on the bucket list, then I could easily ignore the last task, which I'd very much prefer to do. Why? Because it was pure insanity. I mean, WHAT THE HELL WAS SHE THINKING? Come on, me? Kissing James? He's like my bloody brother. I swear I need to talk to Fred about sending that girl through therapy 'cause God knows she needs it. And speak of the devil.

"Hi Fred" I said grinning at the Ravenclaw who'd come over to sit at the Gryffindor table. Can't blame him, we Gryffindors are just that awesome.

"Hey Emma" The red-head replied to me. He took after his dad, they looked alike. Ok **really **alike. From the photos I've seen of George Weasley's twin brother, Fred could be the reincarnation of his namesake.

"Have you seen Roxy anywhere?" I asked him casually, trying not to make it too obvious how my hand tightened over the butter knife in my hand.

"I was just about to ask you the same question actually, doesn't she normally eat with you in the morning?"

I frowned, "Yes, she does."

Fred laughed at my expression which caused it to darken further. My plan to kill Roxy at breakfast was foiled. Ok now before you run off screaming thinking 'OH MY GOD SHE'S SOME KIND OF PSYCHO SERIAL KILLER!' That was a figure of speech... Kinda. I wouldn't have actually killed her, just frightened her into changing the contents of my bucket list. Namely the last option. Anyway I reject (some people resent things, I reject them! Why? Because I can) any accusation that I am a serial killer. Unless you spell it C-E-R-E-A-L then there is absolutely no truth behind the statement.

"Oh well, I'll probably see her in class" I sighed. Killing Roxy in class just wouldn't be the same. The teacher would get peed off at me and I'd get a detention on the first day back. It just wouldn't be fair.

"Well when you see her tell her that she owes me three sickles from the bet last night" Fred instructed me before running off. I didn't bother asking what the bet was about, it was probably something little. Fred likes to gamble at a lot. No not like that, he just passes divination at the top of the class is all and likes to show off.

Which reminds me, my first class is divination and I don't want to be late. I've got Trelawny and the crazy lady made some dumbass prediction last year about me being late for my first class this year. Wow I wonder what clued her in... Maybe it was the fact that I've been late for every single class last year. Man she's so smart I don't think anyone could tell the future like she does *notice the sarcasm?*

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"Miss Dunbar, why it seems that today you are early" that annoying dramatic voice called out through the practically empty classroom. Ha, ha, ha. Take that you old hag. Yes I got up extra early today to do it, ate half my normal amount of breakfast and had to ditch James who, in my defence, was still asleep by the time I was leaving, It took a lot of self control and I know have to deal with an annoyed Potter later (which is not a pleasant thing, let me tell you) but it'll be worth it. I'd like to see how the crazy lady can make herself look good about that!

"Why yes it does Professor," I answered back in my most angelic voice, a smug smile gracing my face.

"Of course, I knew you would be, that is why I told you that you would be late this semester so that you would come early. You forget dear, I have the sight." Professor I-think-that-I-am-so-awesome-just-because-I-made-two-predictions-that-actually-came-true said in a voice that almost matched the smile that I had a few seconds ago . "It is a rare gift, so do not worry yourself that you haven't been predict this very event."

Well excuse me Miss I'm-so-full-of-myself, but I've predicted the outcome of every Quidditch match that had occurred here at Hogwarts since my first year, and I'm going to ignore that it's probably because I spend 87.69523% of my time thinking, playing and talking Quidditch. I was about to tell the crazy lady in front of me with the glasses that are bigger than her head exactly what I thought about her supposed 'gift' when other members of the class finally streamed in. It's not that I care about what other people thought about me seeing as I've made my view on this class pretty clear since the first lesson but Mallory Flint, had just walked in and she thought very highly of this lesson.

And once again NO! You are getting me all wrong. I'm not shutting up because Flint walked in and she likes the subject so I'm going to shut up so she might like me more and then we can become BFF's and do everything together and just have a world of FUN! Far from it. I hate that girl's guts... But seeing as she is a newly made prefect, with the ability to give out detentions and the little word-I'm-not-going-to-say (I'll give you a clue: It rhymes with witch) has it in for me, I figure it's best not to get on her bad side until I can convince either of our house prefects that I am not an annoying little child, who doesn't know when to grow up, so that they can befriend me and I shall have a powerful ally who I can fight with in the war against my arch-nemesis, I'd best lay low. Metaphorically of course. As I have recently discovered lying on the ground does absolutely nothing except trip people up and annoy them.

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After the longer than usual lesson with the crazy lady, it was time for potions. YAY! NO SARCASM! For once I can finally go through a whole lesson without lacing sarcasm on almost every thought I have OR being particularly angsty because the teachers and students are crazy! HAPPY DAYS! Best thing about potions. Professor Slughorn (who must be nearing his two millionth birthday or something seeing as he was teaching here when my mum was in school) is technically an idiot... And I mean that in the nicest way possible. How do I know he's an idiot? Because last year on my report card, he wrote that 'I was organised and did my homework'. Let's get one thing straight. I am NOT organised. I showed this card to my mother and it took her five minutes until she could stop laughing. As for my homework, yeah I did it... In the last five minutes before it was due, that is. But despite my few faults, I'm one of his favourite students. That's why Professor Slughorn RULES!

I made up with James quickly. He was annoyed at me for ditching him and I totally agreed. It was pointless. But he had to forgive me during potions seeing as he couldn't pour water from one cup into another if his life depended on it. He needed my expertise. Sometimes I wonder if he's only friends with me because I am the reason he hasn't failed potions, a subject which I love. If you haven't guessed already.

But for the first time in my life, I wanted potions class to be over. Because next class was charms, with Ravenclaw. And my partner's a certain Weasley with whom I am very annoyed with right now. Lots of accidents can happen when you're not paying attention to the object that you're making float around in the air.

**Please review. They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, so I do a mini really weird happy dance, much to my friends enjoyment. I'm not 100% sure whether they're laughing with me or at me...**


	4. Chapter 3 Notes & Homework

**Alright, it's been a while, and I'm sorry for that. I'm also sorry that I don't own Harry Potter.**

I practically skipped all the way to charms class earning me a weird look from James.

"What's up with you?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied, smiling, "Nothing at all."

"Weirdo," James mumbled.

"Hey!" I protested.

James grinned, "Sure you aren't, Emma," he said before running off.

"No, really, I'm not! I'll prove it, I will! I'll show you!" I shouted as I chased him down the crowded hallways and into charms class where my focus was diverted from James and onto the Ravenclaw sitting in her usual spot with a empty space on the desk next to her.

"Hello Roxanne," I grinned as I slid into my seat.

The Weasley looked nervous as she looked over in my direction. "Oh, hey Emma. What's up?" she asked casually.

"Oh," I sighed, "Nothing much, just some really annoying girl in Ravenclaw." I broke off as Professor Flitwick called for the classes attention before beginning the lesson. It wasn't long before a note was sent to my desk.

_What's so bad about her? _Roxy asked.

_She's trying to make me kiss my best friend, And she's got this really big pimple on her face. _I wrote back.

_Hey I do not!_

I laughed. She didn't have one... Well not _yet _anyway. I was still in revenge planning process.

_Anyway, I had to put that on the list_ Roxanne explained.

I raised an eyebrow, _Oh really? And why did you have to put that on the list?_

_I had a bet, Emma! This is my one opportunity to finally win a bet against Fred. If you kiss James, or James kisses you by the end of the school year, I get 20 galleons. 20 galleons!_

I narrowed my eyes, throwing a fierce glare in at her. _You're placing my friendship with James on the line for some stupid bet!_

_Oh stop being such a drama queen about it, what you put on my list was far worse than anything I put on yours._

_I reject that! I put the nicest and best things on your list! Roxanne, I'm ashamed. You should learn to be more grateful._

_Oh yes Emma, because making me devote one week of the holidays to finding the Giant Squid in the Black Lake isn't at all bad. And telling me to spend one night in the Slytherin dormitories isn't at all equivalent to torture. Nor is telling me that I must devote at least a quarter of my year 'hanging out' with the first years guaranteed to drive me insane. Not to mention that I now have to risk my life in order to give that psycho cat of yours a bath. Which, by the way, no cat likes having one._

I rolled my eyes at this note, _Again, I remind you, that you're making me kiss my best friend._

I'm fairly sure she wrote something back to me, but I ignored it. Instead I took the unusual action of bothering to pay attention in class, something that you'd think Roxy would be doing. Although today's lesson was far more interesting than I'd originally thought it would be. For example, we learnt how to cast the _silencio _charm. Very useful when it came to both James and Roxy. But then again, judging by the looks on their faces, both James and Roxy were thinking the same thing about me.

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><p>We had homework. <em>A lot<em> of homework. Divination, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, we had homework for all of it. And it was only the first day back! Teachers became cruel people in 'important exam' years.

Deciding that I'd much rather do my homework with James rather than Roxy (who despite that fact that she was probably smarter than both James and I combined, was seriously getting on my nerves) we got to work on it as soon as we entered the dormitory. Of course that wasn't such a good idea as the dorm was filled with many other Gryffindor's who made it their lives purpose to distract us once we told them to go away so we could study. It was 9:00 PM before we managed to finally get some peace and quiet, and even then we wasted half an hour mucking around.

We chose to finish our DADA homework first, as that was the only subject we both excelled at. Then we worked on Transfiguration, well James worked on Transfiguration, I mainly asked him the answers to all the questions. Though, I count that as fair as he did the exact same thing to me with Potions homework. I abandoned my Divination homework as James didn't take that class with me, leaving it for tomorrow when I could copy off Roxy's essay. That left one thing left.

I flicked through my notes from Charms that I'd made earlier that day. I groaned.

"What?" James asked.

"Can I use your notes? Roxy and I spent all of the class passing notes to each other."

James smirked, "Oh really? And what were you talking about? Gossiping about me? My amazing Quidditch skills? My astounding good looks?"

I snorted, not letting on about how close he was, "Yeah, definitely James. We were reminiscing about that time you fell off your broom, and when you transfigured that bird into a bowl of porridge in class once, remember how it fell on your head James? Those were fun times."

James scowled, "Well it's better than that time you fell into the Black Lake."

"Oh you _so _don't want to get into an argument with me over who's had the most embarrassing moments at school, Potter."

"Why, Dunbar? Because you know I'd win?" James smirked.

"Well remember that time in second year during Potions when we were making that Cure for Boils?" I grinned at how James' face paled at the mention of that particular incident. I laughed and continued on with our little competition. Homework left forgotten alongside the piece of parchment that Roxy and I had written on during Charms.

Later on that night as I lay in bed thinking about my spectacular win in my little competition and the note that Roxy had added onto the end of our conversation.

_It's justified, Emma. You two clearly belong together._

**End of chapter. I'm sorry it's so short. Hopefully the next one will be longer. Anyway, please review. That will at least force me to update sooner and make the chapters longer.**


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